Bob Burton, the nation's premier bounty hunter, has been punched, shot and had his head bashed. He describes his sometimes-lucrative job as "97% boredom and 3% terror." Burton travels nationwide in search of people who got bondsmen to post their bail and then skipped out on court appearances. "You're sitting in the car in a bad section of town, drinking cold coffee, talking to stupid people, and there's not much romance," Burton said. "But," he added, "there is adrenaline."

Re "Afghanistan's Toughest Battle Lies Ahead," Dec. 31: Was The Times' minister of propaganda asleep this morning? Here we have, on Page A5, a photo of a U.S. Army Special Forces soldier backing up his buddies while searching a suspect in Afghanistan. Lo and behold, he is wearing an NRA (read National Rifle Assn.) cap. How could the minister of political correctness at The Times not have caught this? Bob Burton Santa Barbara

Re "Afghanistan's Toughest Battle Lies Ahead," Dec. 31: Was The Times' minister of propaganda asleep this morning? Here we have, on Page A5, a photo of a U.S. Army Special Forces soldier backing up his buddies while searching a suspect in Afghanistan. Lo and behold, he is wearing an NRA (read National Rifle Assn.) cap. How could the minister of political correctness at The Times not have caught this? Bob Burton Santa Barbara

The state was seeking a way to publicize the need for families to adopt children residing in foster homes and emergency shelters. Bob Burton and the Sacramento television station where he worked were seeking a way to humanize the news, and thus the "Waiting Child" feature was born. Fifteen years and 800 adoptions later, the segments go on, now produced by a Santa Barbara television station. The most recent spots featuring Orange County children will be shown through mid-June.

The state was seeking a way to publicize the need for families to adopt children residing in foster homes and emergency shelters. Bob Burton and the Sacramento television station where he worked were seeking a way to humanize the news, and thus the "Waiting Child" feature was born. Fifteen years and 800 adoptions later, the segments go on, now produced by a Santa Barbara television station. The most recent spots featuring Orange County children will be shown through mid-June.

Fashion model Lesly Brown, the wife of "Wheel of Fortune" host Pat Sajak, has given birth to a boy. Patrick Michael James Sajak weighed 7 pounds at birth Saturday at an undisclosed Los Angeles-area hospital, Sajak spokesman Bob Burton said Monday. It was the couple's first child. Sajak, 43, and Brown, 25, were married in January.

The rising Southern California-bred soprano Angel Blue is having a smashing Vienna debut ? except for an ugly encounter with a racist cab driver outside a Starbucks in the Austrian capital. Blue, who has sung several roles for Los Angeles Opera, where she trained in its Domingo-Thornton Young Artist program, was on break from rehearsals for Benjamin Britten's "The Rape of Lucretia" and needed a ride back to the venerable Theater an der Wien opera house. She hopped in a white Mercedes cab, according to the Viennese weekly magazine News, only to hear the driver snarl, "I don't drive black women.

For about a year now I have been shipping clothes to my destination by FedEx. I will ship a suit, sports jacket, shirts and other items, including my toiletries. They have been delayed only once. The host hotels hold the package for me, and I spend zero time in airport security. The cost of delivery can be as little as $25, depending on weight and destination; you can save money by requesting two-day delivery. You might also consider UPS or the Postal Service. Bob Burton Santa Barbara

Bill Cullen, who served as host of "I've Got a Secret" and dozens of other game shows, is critically ill with cancer, his publicist said. "It's really a day-to-day thing" for the 69-year-old television veteran, publicist Bob Burton said Wednesday. Cullen has not been hospitalized for the illness. He receives doctor visits and round-the-clock medical care at his Los Angeles home, George Spota, his manager said.

Bob Burton, the nation's premier bounty hunter, has been punched, shot and had his head bashed. He describes his sometimes-lucrative job as "97% boredom and 3% terror." Burton travels nationwide in search of people who got bondsmen to post their bail and then skipped out on court appearances. "You're sitting in the car in a bad section of town, drinking cold coffee, talking to stupid people, and there's not much romance," Burton said. "But," he added, "there is adrenaline."

Jamal Brown recorded his first double-double of the season, scoring a career-high 30 points to go with 13 rebounds while leading Cal State Fullerton to an 88-80 victory Friday night over Chicago State in the first round of the San Francisco Invitational. The Titans (4-1) nearly squandered an 18-point lead in the final four minutes.

Having watched his team's erratic play in its first three games, Cal State Fullerton men's basketball Coach Bob Burton challenged the Titans in preparation for Monday night's game against Pepperdine. They rewarded him with his first coaching victory at the Division I level. Freshman Bobby Brown scored a game-high 22 points to lead the Titans over the Waves, 78-74, at Pepperdine.